wailing and gnashing of teeth

"And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth" was a favored means of expressing dismay and horror among the populace at large in the ChristianBible. Whenever God would do something people didn't like, there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. When they ran out of wine at a wedding, there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth (and it's true -- I've seen it).